Pat's Deep-Fried Cornish Game Hens

I love Cornish hens: baked or smoked, but also deep-fried. To me they're like smaller turkeys, so they're perfect for entertaining smaller groups or just your family. If you can't find them at your butcher counter, check the frozen-meat sectionjust be sure to let them thaw out completely. Because of their small size, you can use an electric fryer instead of the larger turkey contraptions for deep-frying them (another bonus). Deep-fried, they've got a golden crust and a juicy, juicy tenderness. If you're short on fridge space, divide the marinade between two or three large zip-top bags, and divide the Cornish hens among them. Press the air out and seal tight; then you can fit them into a smaller space. Now, Shelbi and Gina might share a hen, so for light eaters just split one bird down the middle. But a heavy eater like me will eat a whole hen. I've been anticipating it all day!

Preparation

Whisk together the first six ingredients in a small bowl. Set half of this
mixture aside.

Divide the remaining seasoning mixture between two large mixing
bowls, and pour the buttermilk evenly between the two bowls,
whisking to combine. Put half of the onion and thyme in each bowl.
Place three game hens in each mixing bowl, and turn to coat. Cover
the bowls with plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight
(the longer the better; allow the seasonings and flavors to permeate
the game hens).

Heat the peanut oil to 375 degrees F in a large Dutch oven or
deep-fryer. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees
F, and cover two heavy-duty sheet trays with wire racks. Remove the
game hens from the buttermilk mixture while the oil is heating.

Whisk together the flour and the remaining seasoning mixture in
a large casserole. Working with one game hen at a time, put one game
hen in the flour and toss to coat, then shake off the excess. Slip the
coated game hens, in batches according to the size of your fryer, into
the hot oil, and fry for 13 minutes, until beautifully golden brown.
Place each fried hen on the wire-rack-fitted sheet tray, and hold in the
warm oven. Repeat with remaining hens.

Drain the hens from the buttermilk marinade, and pat dry. Place the hens
on the sheet trays, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 45 minutes, or until an instant-read
thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees
F and the juices run clear.

Pat's Guide to Deep-Frying
One of the things I think people really don't know about me is that I was frying
food before I was grilling! (Nowadays my love of fried food comes second only to
my love of grilling.) Fried food in the South is like pizza in Chicago: if you grew up in Memphis, you grew up with it. My grandfather used to fry whole rabbits, and
my grandmother used to fry chicken for breakfast, served up with biscuits!

1 CHOOSE YOUR OIL Neutral oils like peanut, safflower, canola, and vegetable
oil all have a high "smoke point," so they work well at high frying temperatures.
We often like to use peanut oil, because it adds a very subtle peanut flavor; the
flavor of canola oil is less pronounced.

2 PICK YOUR POT If you don't have an electric fryer, select a heavy-bottomed
Dutch oven for deep-frying. You'll usually need at least 3 or 4 inches of oil in
the bottom of the pan, but more if you're frying something larger, like Cornish
game hens or chicken.

3 FILL IT UP Be careful not to overfill your pot! If you don't leave room for
the items you're frying, the oil may spill over the sides, causing a mess or,
even worse, a fire. To check how much oil you need, you can first do a test run
with water. Fill the pot up with water, then slip in the food you're going to try.
Wherever the water rises to, that's how high your oil is going to goso mark
that place on the pot, and don't fill it too high!

Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends.

Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.

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